diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 4f82e815f..cd960d225 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ Other changes:
  * Allow Saxon to be used for junitreport XSL transformation
    Github Pull Request #57
 
+ * when running on Java 11+ rmic will fail early if iiop or idl are
+   requested. Java11 removes support for CORBA and the switches have
+   been removed from the rmic tool.
 
 Changes from Ant 1.10.1 TO Ant 1.10.2
 =====================================
diff --git a/manual/Tasks/rmic.html b/manual/Tasks/rmic.html
index 5c6c77aab..35c6302de 100644
--- a/manual/Tasks/rmic.html
+++ b/manual/Tasks/rmic.html
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@ are the choices:</p>
 project contains a compiler implementation for this task as well, please consult miniRMI's
 documentation to learn how to use it.</p>
 
+<h4>CORBA support</h4>
+
+<p>Java 11 removes the CORBA and JavaEE packages and rmic no longer
+  supports either <code>iiop</code> nor <code>idl</code>. Starting
+  with Ant 1.10.3 the rmic task will fail when using either while
+  running Java11+ unless you fork the task and explicitly specify an
+  executable.</p>
+
 <h3>Parameters</h3>
 <table class="attr">
   <tr>
@@ -155,7 +163,8 @@ documentation to learn how to use it.</p>
   </tr>
   <tr>
     <td>iiop</td>
-    <td>indicates that portable (RMI/IIOP) stubs should be generated</td>
+    <td>indicates that portable (RMI/IIOP) stubs should be
+      generated.<br/>  See the note on CORBA support above.</td>
     <td>No</td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
@@ -165,7 +174,8 @@ documentation to learn how to use it.</p>
   </tr>
   <tr>
     <td>idl</td>
-    <td>indicates that IDL output files should be generated</td>
+    <td>indicates that IDL output files should be generated.<br/>  See
+      the note on CORBA support above.</td>
     <td>No</td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/DefaultRmicAdapter.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/DefaultRmicAdapter.java
index 914598f44..f3a050392 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/DefaultRmicAdapter.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/DefaultRmicAdapter.java
@@ -175,6 +175,18 @@ public abstract class DefaultRmicAdapter implements RmicAdapter {
         return classpath;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Whether the iiop and idl switches are supported.
+     *
+     * <p>This implementation returns false if running on Java 11
+     * onwards and true otherwise.</p>
+     * @return true if the iiop and idl switches are supported
+     * @since Ant 1.10.3
+     */
+    protected boolean areIiopAndIdlSupported() {
+        return !JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion("11");
+    }
+
     /**
      * Setup rmic argument for rmic.
      * @return the command line
@@ -222,6 +234,9 @@ public abstract class DefaultRmicAdapter implements RmicAdapter {
         }
 
         if (attributes.getIiop()) {
+            if (!areIiopAndIdlSupported()) {
+                throw new BuildException("this rmic implementation doesn't support the -iiop switch");
+            }
             attributes.log("IIOP has been turned on.", Project.MSG_INFO);
             cmd.createArgument().setValue("-iiop");
             if (attributes.getIiopopts() != null) {
@@ -232,6 +247,9 @@ public abstract class DefaultRmicAdapter implements RmicAdapter {
         }
 
         if (attributes.getIdl())  {
+            if (!areIiopAndIdlSupported()) {
+                throw new BuildException("this rmic implementation doesn't support the -idl switch");
+            }
             cmd.createArgument().setValue("-idl");
             attributes.log("IDL has been turned on.", Project.MSG_INFO);
             if (attributes.getIdlopts() != null) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/ForkingSunRmic.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/ForkingSunRmic.java
index 7f670094f..bd2e56229 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/ForkingSunRmic.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/ForkingSunRmic.java
@@ -45,6 +45,21 @@ public class ForkingSunRmic extends DefaultRmicAdapter {
      */
     public static final String COMPILER_NAME = "forking";
 
+    /**
+     * @since Ant 1.10.3
+     */
+    @Override
+    protected boolean areIiopAndIdlSupported() {
+        boolean supported = !JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion("11");
+        if (!supported && getRmic().getExecutable() != null) {
+            getRmic().getProject()
+                .log("Allowing -iiop and -idl for forked rmic even though this version of Java doesn't support it.",
+                     Project.MSG_INFO);
+            return true;
+        }
+        return supported;
+    }
+
     /**
      * exec by creating a new command
      * @return true if the command ran successfully
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/KaffeRmic.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/KaffeRmic.java
index 018ba95cd..bf2775133 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/KaffeRmic.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/KaffeRmic.java
@@ -43,6 +43,16 @@ public class KaffeRmic extends DefaultRmicAdapter {
      */
     public static final String COMPILER_NAME = "kaffe";
 
+    /**
+     * @since Ant 1.10.3
+     */
+    @Override
+    protected boolean areIiopAndIdlSupported() {
+        // actually I don't think Kaffee supports either, but we've
+        // accepted the flags prior to 1.10.3
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /** {@inheritDoc} */
     @Override
     public boolean execute() throws BuildException {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/WLRmic.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/WLRmic.java
index 17a765080..da82048af 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/WLRmic.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/rmic/WLRmic.java
@@ -51,6 +51,16 @@ public class WLRmic extends DefaultRmicAdapter {
     /** unsupported error message */
     public static final String UNSUPPORTED_STUB_OPTION = "Unsupported stub option: ";
 
+    /**
+     * @since Ant 1.10.3
+     */
+    @Override
+    protected boolean areIiopAndIdlSupported() {
+        // actually I don't think Weblogic's rmic supports either, but
+        // we've accepted the flags prior to 1.10.3
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Carry out the rmic compilation.
      * @return true if the compilation succeeded
diff --git a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/RmicAdvancedTest.java b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/RmicAdvancedTest.java
index 139ff68b3..1766a74a8 100644
--- a/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/RmicAdvancedTest.java
+++ b/src/tests/junit/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/RmicAdvancedTest.java
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ public class RmicAdvancedTest {
      */
     @Test
     public void testIDL() throws Exception {
-        buildRule.executeTarget("testIDL");
+        corbaTest("testIDL");
     }
 
     /**
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ public class RmicAdvancedTest {
      */
     @Test
     public void testIDLDest() throws Exception {
-        buildRule.executeTarget("testIDLDest");
+        corbaTest("testIDLDest");
     }
 
     /**
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ public class RmicAdvancedTest {
      */
     @Test
     public void testIIOP() throws Exception {
-        buildRule.executeTarget("testIIOP");
+        corbaTest("testIIOP");
     }
 
     /**
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ public class RmicAdvancedTest {
      */
     @Test
     public void testIIOPDest() throws Exception {
-        buildRule.executeTarget("testIIOPDest");
+        corbaTest("testIIOPDest");
     }
 
     private void xnewTest(String target) {
@@ -435,6 +435,23 @@ public class RmicAdvancedTest {
         }
     }
 
+    private void corbaTest(String target) {
+        if (!JavaEnvUtils.isAtLeastJavaVersion("11")) {
+            buildRule.executeTarget(target);
+        } else {
+            try {
+                buildRule.executeTarget(target);
+                fail("Target should have thrown a BuildException");
+            } catch (BuildException ex) {
+                if (target.indexOf("IDL") > -1) {
+                    assertEquals("this rmic implementation doesn't support the -idl switch", ex.getMessage());
+                } else {
+                    assertEquals("this rmic implementation doesn't support the -iiop switch", ex.getMessage());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * this little bunny verifies that we can load stuff, and that
      * a failure to execute is turned into a fault